Through a FOIA request to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks in 2020.
Note regarding the training death at Ellis August 24: According to the Commission, the dead horse was Loving Lucky; when I cross-checked on Equibase (something I always do), I found that Loving is still very much active, having raced this past January. When I brought this to the attention of the Commission, its general counsel responded:
“Dear Mr. Battuello: Thank you for your e-mail. The records concerning ‘Loving Lucky’ speak for themselves, and the KHRC is unable to comment on any listings found on Equibase.”
Well, of course the records don’t “speak for themselves.” (This wasn’t the first time she had used that phrase on questions I had.) Accordingly, I will have to list that death as “unidentified.” How sad, but not at all surprising: From the start (2014), the KHRC has been obstructive, contentious, and downright rude – easily the most difficult to work with in the country. So much for its newfound “accessibility” and “transparency.”
I’mluckysgirl, Jan 10, Turfway R – “[multiple] fractures and ruptures”
Run Rite, Jan 11, Turfway T – “comminuted P1 fracture”
Pourmeanotherone, Feb 6, Turfway T – “[multiple] fractures”
First Things First, Feb 22, Keeneland T – “sudden death, caudal vena cava tear”
All Out, Mar 3, Turfway T – “[multiple] fractures, ligament failure”
Super Touch, Mar 6, Turfway R – “collapsed and died – hemorrhage, shock”
Love Totem, Mar 12, Turfway R – “skull fracture, epistaxis from both nostrils”
Tudox Lifting Off, Mar 13, Turfway R – “open, complete diaphyseal fracture”
Danica, Mar 17, Turfway T – “MCIII fracture”
Emely Heart, Mar 20, Turfway R – “[multiple] fractures, extensive soft tissue damage”
D’oro Bode, Apr 23, Keeneland T – “head trauma” (being prepped for first race)
Storm Biz, Apr 25, Keeneland T – “[multiple] fractures” (being prepped for first race)
Cat’s Popstar, Apr 28, Keeneland T – “scapula fracture”
Gold Trader, May 11, Turfway T – “basisphenoid fracture” (being prepped for first race)
Alittlevodka, May 31, Churchill R – “comminuted fractures”
Cass City, Jun 13, Keeneland T – “[multiple] fractures”
Bold Esther, Jun 13, Churchill T – “sudden death – hemoperitoneum”
Toshio, Jun 15, Keeneland T – “sudden death – hemoperitoneum”
Free the Kitten, Jun 16, Keeneland T – “humeral fracture” (being prepped for first race)
Pam’s Avery Rose, Jun 22, Keeneland T – “humeral fracture”
Gold Credit, Jul 3, Churchill T – “sesamoid fractures”
yet-to-be-named, Jul 20, Ellis T – “MCIII fracture”
Censored, Jul 22, Churchill T – “humeral fracture”
Endowment, Aug 8, Ellis R – “slab fracture” (of previously operated-on leg)
Libertyrun, Aug 9, Ellis R – “sesamoid fractures” (chart said “went wrong”)
Limnery, Aug 17, Ellis T – “sesamoid fractures”
Chainsthatbindyou, Aug 21, Churchill T – “tibial fracture” (being prepped for first race)
unidentified, Aug 24, Ellis T – “[multiple] fractures”
Market Garden, Aug 28, Ellis R – “comminuted fractures, tearing of ligaments”
Snake Doctor, Sep 7, Kentucky R – “fractures, massive amount of soft tissue damage”
yet-to-be-named, Sep 8, Churchill T – “MTIII fracture”
Kowalski, Sep 10, Churchill T – “comminuted sesamoid fractures”
Glissando, Sep 12, Churchill T – “sudden death” (being prepped for first race)
Innis, Sep 16, Keeneland T – “sesamoid fractures”
Urbana, Sep 17, Churchill R – “[multiple] fractures, massive soft tissue damage”
Tour Spuzz, Sep 26, Churchill S – “laminitis” (three years old, never been raced)
Lucky Asset, Sep 26, Churchill R – “fractures, tearing of tendons, rupture of ligament”
Tormenta, Sep 27, Churchill R – “[multiple] fractures, severe soft tissue damage”
Wild Love, Oct 5, Keeneland T – “open, displaced fractures”
unidentified, Oct 8, Churchill S – “neurological”
unidentified, Oct 9, Ellis S – “neurological”
Kalydar, Oct 10, Keeneland S – “colic”
Pow Wow Indian, Oct 18, Churchill T – “[mult] fractures” (being prepped for first race)
Uncle Robbie, Oct 31, Churchill T – “[mult] fractures” (being prepped for first race)
Sir Winsalot, Oct 31, Churchill R – “fracture, large amount of hemorrhage”
Rebuff, Nov 5, Churchill R – “multiple open, disarticulated fractures both front legs”
Here Comes Josie, Nov 7, Churchill T – “comminuted P1 fracture”
Juggernaut, Nov 7, Churchill T – “[multiple] fractures”
Absolutely Aiden, Nov 7, Keeneland R – “open fractures, ruptured tendon/ligaments”
Uni the Unicorn, Nov 8, Churchill T – “[mult] fractures” (being prepped for first race)
Dear Theodosia, Nov 9, Keeneland S – “tongue laceration/amputation”
Gator Romp, Nov 9, Keeneland T – “P1 fracture”
Winning Impression, Nov 12, Churchill R – “comminuted fractures, hemorrhage”
Binge Watch, Nov 14, Churchill T – “open, disarticulated fracture”
Tenace, Nov 24, Churchill T – “P1 fracture” (being prepped for first race)
Night Candy, Nov 27, Churchill R – “comminuted fractures, severe soft tissue damage”
The Moment Is Now, Nov 27, Turfway T – “[multiple] fractures”
Alexander Hamilton, Nov 29, Churchill T – “fracture, ruptured ligaments”
Dream High, Dec 2, Turfway R – “open fracture, severe soft tissue damage”
Eclipse the Moon, Dec 12, Churchill T – “tibial fracture” (one – yes, one – year old)
Sharp and Strong, Dec 16, Churchill T – “open fracture” (being prepped for first race)
Can’t Quit Now, Dec 31, Turfway T – “sudden death” (two years old)
Kentucky (7 tracks; partial subsidy state)
Governor Beshear: phone/contact/social media
Lt. Governor Coleman: twitter; facebook
Assembly Leaders
Dear GOD…3-year-old filly Dear Theodosia, TONGUE AMPUTATION. Probably had her tied in her stall tacked up, a f*****g bit in her mouth.
OMG!!! The sheer ignorance combined with cruelty and indifference is a recipe for disaster. We see it day after day. The horses pay with their lives over and over with no end in sight. And when you think you have seen it all along comes one more incomprehensible example…AMPUTATION of TONGUE
Quite possibly from use of a too tight tongue tie which we always hated the use of!
So the newly-transparent KHRC still won’t concede the death of Laughing Levi, eh? The old gelding’s highly predictable, highly likely demise was almost certainly during Churchill’s triumphant fall return, when his loving connections decided it would finally be — two YEARS after his previous most recent start — a good time to send him out to die. Along with Rebuff’s and Sir Winsalot’s, his was a racing breakdown/van-off that week(!) that would have been a really inconvenient kill to have to admit publicly. Of the three known on-track breakdowns at Churchill Oct. 31 – Nov. 5, his was the life that would have been considered the least “salvageable” by racing’s super-low standards; Rebuff and Sir Winsalot were far more “desirable” in terms of youth, pedigree, status, earnings and, in Rebuff’s case, breeding potential. But they were euthanized right away (though nobody admitted it for several months.)
Yet, poor Levi (all but worthless, even before his horrific injury/van-off) is probably just as D-E-A-D, and the KHRC carries on as if he’s not. So, I suppose it’s POSSIBLE that he was treated, healed, and quietly retired to a life of ease and comfort in a grassy Kentucky paddock with a couple of still-alive stablemates for companionship and interaction (and, of course, lots of TLC, carrots, and the requisite visits from horse-loving little girls who look after his well-being daily…)
But we know better.
Silence equals the horse is definitely DEAD!!!! It’s a no-brainer! Silence, refusing to breathe a word, about a horse that has been catastrophically injured because of racing is “industry-speak” for DEAD.
Why would anyone use the “I plead the Fifth on the grounds it may incriminate” if they were not guilty??? They know they are guilty and so do we!!!!